Roger Ray Sanders, age 76, of Greenville, IL, passed away Monday, June 16, 2025, while vacationing in Buffalo, New York.
Visitation will be held on Friday, June 27, 2025, from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. A celebration of Roger’s life will be held on Saturday, June 28, 2025, with visitation from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and funeral at 11:00 a.m. All services will be held at the First Christian Church in Greenville, IL. A private family burial will take place at a later date.
Roger was born November 26, 1948, in Breese, IL, to Evadene “Dene” and Elvin “Pete” Sanders. Growing up, his family owned a large farming operation and an agriculture sales business near the Wisetown/Beaver Creek area in southern Bond County.
A graduate of Greenville High School, Roger attended Kaskaskia College before getting a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Communications from the University of Illinois. Many years later, he earned a Master of Arts in Business Leadership from Upper Iowa University.
Family was the heart and soul of Roger’s life. Time was a precious commodity to him, so he spent every chance he could with family. On July 21, 1995, Roger married Jane (Whited), blending their families and four children:
Jason Sanders of Greenville, IL; his children, Dylan & Kayla; his girlfriend, Christina Staff, and her son, Marshall
Rachel Sanders of Maryville, IL; her husband, Mark Gan, and his children, Cameryn & Clayten
KayLynn Nance of Old Ripley, IL; and her boyfriend, David Pate
Ryan Nance of Chatham, IL; his wife, Allison, and their children, Kate & Ryleigh
Roger is also survived by his sisters Judy Dye of Dallas, TX, and Nancy (Steve) Latham of Austin, TX. His large extended family included numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces, and great nephews, as well as many close friends who were like family. He was preceded in death by his parents.
To say Roger never met a stranger would be an understatement. He had an innate ability to make people feel welcome and included. His magnetic energy made him someone you wanted to be around and get to know better.
Roger lived his life in service to others. The phrase “service before self” was not just a slogan for him; it was his reality. On August 1, 1968, Roger enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. He served one year in combat in Vietnam as part of Kilo Company 3/7 where he was a rifleman, squad leader and S-2 Scout (intelligence). He was a proud American and Marine! Ooh-rah! Following his return from Vietnam, Roger treated every day like a gift. It was not lost on him how lucky he was to have returned home when so many others lost their lives in service to their country.
A man of faith, Roger attended the Greenville First Christian Church where he was an active member for over fifty years. He fulfilled his passion for serving the community by holding positions on the Greenville City Council, University of Illinois ACES Alumni Board, numerous other boards, and as a member of many organizations.
It was not uncommon to hear stories of Roger’s mentorship, as his practical wisdom and optimistic nature encouraged many over the years. He was oftentimes sought out as a trusted advisor by not only family and friends, but also members of the community, to navigate challenges or develop ideas.
Roger had a successful career working in a variety of roles and industries at different companies throughout the country. Those who knew him would understand that any attempt to sum up his working life would take something the size of an old phone book. Above all, Roger was the quintessential storyteller, a skill he honed and utilized throughout his life. He loved telling stories about other people’s lives as much as he enjoyed sharing his own experiences. Roger was regularly asked to speak at various events due to his dynamic and engaging storytelling ability. During the 1970’s, Roger penned his own Greenville Advocate column. “Blowin’ Smoke” featured stories about local legends, historic events, unique places and any other topic he thought might interest readers. His column was briefly resurrected in the late 2010’s. Since retiring, Roger focused on his travel blog: www.twolanerambler.com
Roger was an avid motorcycle enthusiast best known for riding motorcycles with sidecars. As the founder of the Mild Hogs Motorcycle Club, he organized monthly trips to various points of interest across Illinois. Rarely did he need a map, as he had a knack for navigating those two-lane back roads.
As a devoted Greenville Comets fan, you would regularly spot Roger in the crowd cheering on his alma mater. While he was a die-hard Fighting Illini and St. Louis Cardinals fan, Roger would watch anything sports related. He even turned horse racing into a fun family outing. Each year, kids and “grands” would join him at Fairmount Park for a competitive afternoon of “betting on the ponies”, with only $20 each for the entire day. Bragging rights went to the person who left with the most money.
Roger was a loyal patron of Greenville McDonald’s. Most mornings you could find him grabbing breakfast, often just before the clock struck 10:30 a.m. You might even see him there multiple times in one day. Or you could simply ask him what any menu item cost, if you were curious. For afternoon coffee and camaraderie, Roger joined fellow members of the Old Drips Coffee Club, which met at various locations over the years.
The family kindly requests memorial donations be made in Roger’s honor to:
Greenville First Christian Church, 1100 Killarney Drive, Greenville, IL 62246
Land of Lincoln Honor Flight, 1523 S. Willemore Ave., Springfield, IL 62704
Semper Fidelis – “Always Faithful”
Share a memory, picture, or leave the family a condolence by visiting www.donnellwiegand.com.
